Thill-coupling



(N0 Model.)

0. D. HUFF.

' THILL COUPLING.

433,34'7- Patented July 29, 1890 "Zitnesses: Invent/07'.-

v 4/ yWLY 7 UNITED STATES 1 'PAT NT OFFICE.

CHARLES D. HUFF, OF DALLAS, PENNSYLVANIA.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,347, dated July 29,1890.

Application filed May 2,1890. Serial No. 350,319. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES D. HUFF, of Dallas, in the county of Luzerneand State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in 'lhill-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the followingto be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to thill-coupling in whichthe shafts are at-' tached to the axle without the help of the usualcoupling-bolts, and to make the shafts readily detachable at any time bysimply raising them up at theirouter ends, and thus do away with anecessity of having to remove some of the part-sf Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a coupling embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe same.

A represents the clip, and B the socket to receive the head 0 upon theshaft-iron D, and which socket is secured to the under side of the axleby means of the recessed plate G, through which the bolts of the clipspass, and which plate forms a part of the coupling. The socket is shapedsomething like the letter G, and is made only about as wide as the shaftiron, and is provided with flanges H, to prevent the shaft-iron fromhaving any lateral movement after its head has once been inserted intothe socket. The lower outer end I of the socket, which extends forwardany suitable distance and forms asupport for the spring J, is providedwith a notch in which the front end of the spring catches. This springis made in the form of an elongated link, and is supported in positionby having its front end catch in the notch in the end I and by havingits rear end catch over the top of the plate G. Thehead upon the end ofthe and has extending from opposite sides the two studs or projectionsO, which bear against the upper side of the spring near its center forthe purpose of exerting a downward pressure thereon. The springs,catching against the under side of the projections, serve to force theupper end of the head up into the socket, and thus do away with anyliability upon the part of the coupling to separate, and especiallytoprevent any rattlingornoise while the vehicle is in motion. This spring,by extending along upon opposite sides of the socket and the head, alsoserves to prevent any lateral play on the shaft-iron.

In order to remove the shafts from the ve hicle, it is only necessary toraise the front ends of the shafts, and then the lower shorter portionof the head rises out of the bottom of the socket, thus leaving thethill-iron free to be drawn out.

As will be seen, no bolts or other removable parts are used, and hencethe shafts can be readily removed without the assistance of a wrench orother similar tool.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a thill-couplin g, thecombination, with a socket having a projection at its rear side, and ashaft-iron having a head which fits in the socket, of a link separatefrom the socket and which passes around the socket, and having its endsengage the said rear projection and the lower end of the socket,respectively, substantially as shown.

2. In a thill-couplin g, the combination, with a socket having aprojection on its rear side and a notch in its lower end, and ashaft-iron having a head which fits in the socket, of a link which hasits ends engage, respectively, the said rear projection and notchedlower end, substantially as specified.

3. In a thill-coupling, the combination, with a socket having opensides, of a shaft-iron having laterally-extending projections, and alink which has its ends engage the rear side and lower end of the socketand the under side of the said projections between its ends,substantially as described.

4. In a thill-coupling, the combination of a socket anda shaft-ironhaving a head, of a link separate from the socket, and which has itsinner end engage the rear side of the socket and its lower end the lowerend of the socket, whereby it is supported and extends around thesocket, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES D. I-IUFF.

Witnesses:

1-1. M. LAING, O. D. JOHNSON.

